Self descending and surfacing water device

ABSTRACT

A self descending and surfacing water device for deploying instrumentation, such as a bathythermograph, including a cylinder and piston combination. The cylinder has a water port at its top end. The piston is hollow and has a closed bottom end and an opening at its top end. A spring is provided for biasing the piston upwardly within the cylinder. Water pressure forces the hollow piston downwardly against this spring, and a gas is released for driving the hollow piston upwardly in the cylinder when the device has descended to a predetermined depth. A free floating piston is disposed within the hollow piston, and the bottom of the hollow piston has an aperture so that upon the release of gas the free floating piston is driven upwardly within the hollow piston to increase the buoyancy of the device.

United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,800,346 White Apr. 2, 1974 1 SELFDESCENDING AND SURFACING Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix WATER DEVICEAssistant Examiner-Donald W. Underwood Attorney, Agent, or Firm-RichardS. Sciascia; Ervin F. Johnston [57] 1 ABSTRACT A self descending andsurfacing water device for deploying instrumentation, such as abathythennograph, including a cylinder and piston combination. The cylinder has a water port at its top end. The piston is hollow and has aclosed bottom end and an opening at its top end. A spring is providedfor biasing the piston upwardly within the cylinder. Water pressureforces the hollow piston downwardly against this spring, and a gas isreleased for driving the hollow piston upwardly in the cylinder when thedevice has descended to a predetermined depth. A free floating piston isdisposed within the hollow piston, and the bottom of the hollow pistonhas an aperture so that upon the release of gas the free floating pistonis driven upwardly within the hollow piston to increase the buoyancy ofthe device.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SELF DESCENDING AND SURFACING WATER DEVICESTATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefore.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION thereby destroying the capability ofdetecting a submarine below the thermocline. Thermoclines must beascertained to predict sonar bouncing, and temperature gradients must beknown so as to predict the bending of sonarbeams in the water. Aninstrument which is utilized for determining temperature profiles of thewater is known as a bathythermograph.

A bathythermograph must be progressively lowered in the body of water inorder to obtain the desired temperature profile readings. In the past,bathythermographs have been paid out from surface vessels by attachedlines or wires and either retrieved after descent,v or the temperaturereadings are taken 'via the wire as the bathythermograph descends. Undercertain conditions it is desirable that temperature profile readings beobtained without the necessity of paying out a line or a wire from thesurface vessel. It is this situation that the present invention providesa solution, whether the instrument package is a bathythermograph orsimilar device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a self descending andsurfacing water device which requires no attached lines or wires from asurface vessel for deploying instrumentation, such as abathythermograph. The device includes a cylinder and piston combinationwherein the cylinder is closed at both ends and has at least one waterport at the top end. The piston is hollow and has a closed bottom endand an opening at its top end. A compression spring may be disposedwithin the cylinder for biasing the hollow piston upwardly, and a gasreleasing means is provided for driving the piston upwardly in thecylinder when the device has reached a predetermined depth. Within thehollow cylinder there is a freefloating piston which'is likewise drivenupwardly by the released gas. The operation of the free-floating pistongreatly increases the buoyancy of the device and enables an earliersurfacing of the device for retrieval of the desired information. Theself descending and surfacing water device can be utilized for any typeof instrumentation which must be descended into the water.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to providea self I Another object is to provide a self descending and surfacingwater device which will ascend in the water on its own buoyancy asrapidly as possible.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention, when considered in conjunction with the'accompanyingdrawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 through 4 are ocean elevation viewsillustrating the operation of the present invention from a surfacevessel.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the present invention with portionsbroken away to illustrate various details thereof.

FIGS. 6 through 8 are longitudinal cross sectional views illustratingthe three modes of operation of the present invention. I

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswherein like reference numerals designate like or similarpartsthroughout the several views there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a surfacevessel 10 which has just deployed the self descending and surfacingwater device 12 into the water. Attached to the bottom end of the waterdevice is an instrumentation package, such as a bathythermograph 14, forindicating the temperature profile of the body of water. It should beunderstood that other instrumentation packages, such as a salinityindicator or optical indicator, could be attached to the water device inlieu of the bathythermograph 14.

Referring now to FIG. 5 there is illustrated the water device 12 whichincludes a cylinder 16 which is closed at each end and has at least onewater port 18 at its top end. It is preferred, however, that thecylinder 16 have a series of ports about its circumference asillustrated in FIG. 5. The bottom end of the cylinder may include an endcap 20 which is threaded into the cylinder 16, and the top end of thecylinder may include a top end cap 22 which is threaded within the topof the cylinder. Disposed within the cylinder 16 is a hollow piston 24which has a closed bottom end 26 and an opening 28 at its top end. Abiasing means, such as a compression spring 30 is disposed within thecylinder 16 between the bottom of the cylinder and the bottom of thehollow piston 24 for biasing the hollow piston upwardly in the cylinder.The hollow piston 24 may be sealed to the wall of the cylinder 16 by anO-ring 32. The O-ring may be held in place within an annular recess inthe bottom of the hollow piston 24 by a spring load distributor disc 34which is interposed between the O-ring and the top of thecompression'spring 30.

When the water device 12 has reached a predetermined depth it is desiredthat its buoyancy increase so that the water device will rapidly ascendto the surface of the water. This is accomplished by a means which isresponsive to the downward movement of the piston 24 for releasing gasbelow the hollow piston. This gas will in turn develop a pressure fordriving the hollow piston upwardly in the cylinder 16. The gas releasingmeans may include a puncturable pressure bottle 38 which may be threadedwithin the bottom end cap 20, and a puncture dart 40 which may bethreaded within the bottom end 26 of the hollow piston 24. Accordingly,when the dart 40 is brought downwardly by the ambient water pressure onthe hollow piston 24 the top of the bottle 38 is punctured and gasescapes to cause a pressure below the hollow piston. This pressuredrives the hollow piston upwardly within the cylinder 16 and causeswater thereabove to be expelled through the ports 18 to increase thebuoyancy of the water device.

A very significant feature of this invention is the provision of a meansfor increasing the buoyancy of the water device in the space of thehollow piston 24 so as to cause a rapid ascent of the water device afterit has reached its predetermined depth. This has been accomplished byproviding a free floating piston 42 which is sealably disposed withinthe hollow piston 24, and providing the bottom 26 of the hollow piston24 with an aperture 44. Accordingly, when the bottle 38 is punctured thepressurized gas not only drives the hollow piston 24 upwardly, but italso is disseminated into the hollow piston 24 through the aperture 44to drive the free-floating piston 42 upwardly within the hollow piston24. Upward movement of the piston 42 within the hollow piston 24 may berestrained by stop pins 46 which extend through the wall of the hollowpiston 24 into the space therein.

The bathythermograph 14, or other instrumentation package, may bemounted to the bottom of the device by a threaded connection within thebottom end cap 20. After the water device 12 and instrumentation package14 have come to the surface of the water the entire assembly may berecovered by grabbing a capture loop 48 which may be mounted to the topof the end cap 22. In the preferred embodiment it is desirable that theocean device have a positive metacentric height so that the capture loop48 may be positioned upwardly in the water for retrieval purposes.Further, it is desirable that the water device have a negative buoyancywhen the free floating piston 42 is at the bottom of the hollow piston24 and the hollow piston is filled with water through the water ports18, and that the water device be positively buoyant when the gaspressure has driven the floating piston 42 to the top of the hollowpiston 24.

OPERATION OF THE DEVICE It should be noted that the arrangement of thecomponents of the ocean device is such that the device can be easilyassembled or disassembled for cleaning and general maintenance purposes.The strength of the spring 30 is an important consideration since astronger spring will cause the water device to activate at a lower depthand a weaker spring will cause the water device to activate at ashallower depth. After the spring 30 has been selected minor adjustmentsin the desired depth can be accomplished by threading the pressurebottle 38 to a desired location within the bottom end cap 20. Upondeploying the water device 12 and instrumentation package 14 into thewater, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the top end of the cylinder 16 and thehollow piston 24 are filled with water through the water ports 18. Byspacing the apertures 18 about the cylinder 16 the entry of water isassured regardless of the orientation of the water device after it hitsthe surface of the water. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the water device 12commences its descent within the body of water, and during this phasewater pressure on the top of the floating piston 42 and the hollowpiston 24 will progressively drive the hollow piston downwardly againstthe force of the spring 30. This operation is illustrated in FIG. 6 ofthe drawings. After the ocean device has reached the predetermineddepth, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the water pressure has built upsufficiently to drive the dart 40 into the top of the pressure bottle 38so as to cause the release of pressurized gas below the hollow piston24. The positioning of the components of the water device 12 in thiscondition is illustrated in FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the waterdevice has ascended to the surface of the water due to the gas pressuredriving the hollow piston 24 upwardly within thecylinder l6 and thedriving of the free-floating piston 42 upwardly within the hollow piston24. The arrangement of the components in this condition is illustratedin FIG. 7.

After the ocean device and the instrumentation package have come to thesurface of the water, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the surface vessel mayreturn and retrieve the entire apparatus by grabbing the capture loop48. The instrumentation package may then be removed and opened for thepurpose of collecting the desired data.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A self descending and surfacing water device for deployinginstrumentation, such as a bathythermograph, comprising:

a cylinder which is closed at each end and has at least one water portat a top end;

a piston disposed within the cylinder;

said piston being hollow and having a closed bottom end and an openingat its top end;

means for biasing the hollow piston upwardly within said cylinder;

said cylinder being capable of receiving means which are responsive todownward movement of the hollow piston for releasing gas below thehollow piston which in turn will develop a pressure for driving thehollow piston upwardly in the cylinder;

a free floating piston disposed within the hollow piston to increasebuoyancy upon release of the gas; and v the bottom of the hollow pistonhaving an aperture for communicating pressurized gas into the hollowpiston for driving the floating piston upwardly therein upon release ofthe gas,

whereby, upon deploying the device into the water with the gas releasingmeans, the device descends and water pressure through said water portforces the hollow piston downwardly until the gas is released, whereuponthe hollow piston is driven upwardly in the cylinder and the floatingpiston is driven upwardly in the hollow piston so as to expel waterthrough said water port and cause the device to become buoyant andascend to the surface of the water.

2. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 1including:

said device being negatively buoyant when the free floating piston is atthe bottom of the hollow piston and the hollow piston is filled withwater through said water port; and

the water device having a positive metacentric height. 5. A selfdescending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 1 including:said gas releasing means;

said gas releasing means including:

a puncturable pressure bottle mounted in the cylinder opposite thebottom of the hollow piston; and

a puncture spike mounted to the bottom of the hollow piston forpuncturing the pressure bottle. 6. A self descending and surfacing waterdevice as claimed in claim 5 including:

the bottom of cylinder comprising a threaded cap;

and said pressure bottle being threaded into said cap so that thedistance between the bottle and puncture spike can be selectivelyadjusted. 7. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed inclaim 1 including:

the biasing means being a compression spring which 6 is disposed in thecylinder between the bottom of the cylinder and the bottom of the hollowpiston.

8. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 6including:

said device being negatively buoyant when the free floating piston is atthe bottom of the hollow piston and the hollow piston is filled withwater through said water port; and said device being positively buoyantwhen the gas pressure has driven the floating piston to the top of thehollow piston. 9. A self descending and surfacing water device asclaimed in claim 8 including:

, stop means mounted at the top of the hollow piston for stopping upwardmovement of the free floating piston within the hollow piston.

10. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 9including:

the top of the cylinder comprising a threaded cap;

a capture loop mounted to the top threaded cap; and

the cylinder and the bottom of the hollow piston.

1. A self descending and surfacing water device for deployinginstrumentation, such as a bathythermograph, comprising: a cylinderwhich is closed at each end and has at least one water port at a topend; a piston disposed within the cylinder; said piston being hollow andhaving a closed bottom end and an opening at its top end; means forbiasing the hollow piston upwardly within said cylinder; said cylinderbeing capable of receiving means which are responsive to downwardmovement of the hollow piston for releasing gas below the hollow pistonwhich in turn will develop a pressure for driving the hollow pistonupwardly in the cylinder; a free floating piston disposed within thehollow piston to increase buoyancy upon release of the gas; and thebottom of the hollow piston having an aperture for communicatingpressurized gas into the hollow piston for driving the floating pistonupwardly therein upon release of the gas, whereby, upon deploying thedevice into the water with the gas releasing means, the device descendsand water pressure through said water port forces the hollow pistondownwardly until the gas is released, whereupon the hollow piston isdriven upwardly in the cylinder and the floating piston is drivenupwardly in the hollow piston so as to expel water through said waterport and cause the device to become buoyant and ascend to the surface ofthe water.
 2. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed inclaim 1 including: said device being negatively buoyant when the freefloating piston is at the bottom of the hollow piston and the hollowpiston is filled with water through said water port; and said devicebeing positively buoyant when the gas pressure has driven the floatingpiston to the top of the hollow piston.
 3. A self descending andsurfacing water device as claimed in claim 2 including: stop meansmounted at the top of the hollow piston for stopping upward movement ofthe free floating piston within the hollow piston.
 4. A self descendingand surfacing water device as claimed in claim 1 including: the top ofthe cylinder comprising a threaded cap; a capture loop mounted to thetop threaded cap; and the water device having a positive metacentricheight.
 5. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed inclaim 1 including: said gas releasing means; said gas releasing meansincluding: a puncturable pressure bottle mounted in the cylinderopposite the bottom of the hollow piston; and a puncture spike mountedto the bottom of the hollow piston for puncturing the pressure bottle.6. A self descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 5including: the bottom of cylinder comprising a threaded cap; and saidpressure bottle being threaded into said cap so that the distancebetween the bottle and puncture spike can be selectively adjusted.
 7. Aself descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 1including: the biasing means being a compression spring which isdisposed in the cylinder between the bottom of the cylinder and thebottom of the hollow piston.
 8. A self descending and surfacing waterdevice as claimed in claim 6 including: said device being negativelybuoyant when the free floating piston is at the bottom of the hollowpiston and the hollow piston is filled with water through said waterport; and said device being positively buoyant when the gas pressure hasdriven the floating piston to the top of the hollow piston.
 9. A selfdescending and surfacing water device as Claimed in claim 8 including:stop means mounted at the top of the hollow piston for stopping upwardmovement of the free floating piston within the hollow piston.
 10. Aself descending and surfacing water device as claimed in claim 9including: the top of the cylinder comprising a threaded cap; a captureloop mounted to the top threaded cap; and the water device having apositive metacentric height.
 11. A self descending and surfacing waterdevice as claimed in claim 10 including: the cylinder having a series ofports about its circumference.
 12. A self descending and surfacing waterdevice as claimed in claim 11 including: the biasing means being acompression spring which is disposed in the cylinder between the bottomof the cylinder and the bottom of the hollow piston.